Foods Case Study Margaret Bennett

According to epidemiological guidelines, one has to consider several variables to identify foods that are most susceptible to mass contamination. First, one has to determine which foods the majority of the infected individuals have eaten. The relative risk associated with the foods as well as the ease of mass contamination of said foods are also to be taken into consideration. Lastly, one has to deliberate foods that appear to be most likely in the transmission of the disease. An analysis was conducted on the foods that were served during the Memorial Day service. A breakdown of foods eaten by infected persons and foods eaten by non-infected persons were compared. Of the ones eaten by the infected group, there were five foods that more than five individuals from the infected group ingested: potato salad, macaroni salad, rolls, cakes, and coffee. The attack rates and relative risks ratios were then analyzed and compared. The food with the highest food specific attack rate and highest relative risk indicate the macaroni salad, with a 0.6 attack rate and 4.2 relative risk.

Three foods were store bought: summer sausage, sliced ham, and baked beans. The other foods were then home prepared and brought in to the Memorial services event. Upon further examination, it was discovered that Margaret Bennett prepared and handled the macaroni salad which had the highest attack rate. Ms. Bennett had tested positive for the bacteria through 11 stool samples but did not manifest signs and symptoms of the disease. The data presented herewith data leads to a possible association of M. Bennett and the macaroni salad to the typhoid outbreak in